Film backlog!

Phil_F_NM

Phil_F_NM

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Tonight I got my film dryer set up and started organizing my apartment for a massive session of black and white film development.
I got developer mixed (HC-110 dilution H) as well as fixer. I hate powdered Kodak fixer, just for the record... it just happened to be all I could find in Philly.

Here's a photo of my backlog (taken with my cell phone.)
20150112_034531_CE.jpg


That's a total of 142 rolls.
93 rolls of 35mm, 49 rolls of 120.
28 runs of development. The vertical columns in the photo are organized by development run.

I start tomorrow. Holy cow.

Phil Forrest
 
Wow!

Just wow! Good luck. How many memories are in there, that'd be ~ 3 years for me, what time frame is it?

Reminds me of a fellow RFF member here in Melbourne (not naming names), but I don't think he's that organised...

Cheers,
Michael
 
I know there are a couple rolls going all the way back to 2005. Four of those in there are Kodachrome 200 that was in storage when Dwayne's stopped doing K-14 runs. I think one of them could even be from while I was deployed to Iraq.
Most of the 120 is from the last two years. I love shooting with my Mamiya 6's, what can I say? A couple of the rolls are probably from my old Rolleiflex.
I'm trying to remember which cameras these would have been exposed with. I worked at film labs in 2006-2008 so it would have to be after that time and also after the wet lab closed at Temple University where I studied photojournalism, so I guess most of it comes from the last four years.
The 35mm was probably mostly exposed with the following cameras: Leica M4, M4-P that now belongs to a fellow RFF member, Kodak Retina IIa, Leica IIIf, Nikon FM, Argus AF, and probably a Nikon F3 in there as well. Really, the bulk of that was made with the Leica M4 though.

This is only the black and white. There are about 30 rolls of E-6 and C-41 that I have to send out. My wallet is not looking forward to that.

After the developing is done, then begins the arduous process of scanning. That's headache time. I should get a good air filter...

Phil Forrest
 
Good luck with film development sessions!
Just curious how did you manage your curiosity to NOT develop the films.
I myself wouldn't wait longer than 3 rolls to develop them except when I have more than that after a photo trip.
 
My lot only runs back to August.

For me, I don't like to sleave up rolls until I've had a chance to scan them.
This forces me to leave them undeveloped until I have time to pull the scanners out of their dustproof Rubbermaid bins in the closet and set up for a session.
The wet darkroom is easier. It's not difficult to dust a single frame under a loupe before popping it into the enlarger once it's in the neg carrier.
Dusting strips or whole rolls for scanning is a b!tch so I never soup up until I can see it all the way through scanning phase as well 🙂
 
Wow, you have a heroic effort ahead of you. I'm assuming this is a personal best? I wonder what the record is 🙂

Lots of interesting aha! moments ahead of you when you scan or print the negs. Good luck! I hope you have some good music in your darkroom.

BTW how are you processing the Kodachrome? I have one roll of KR25 left over, that I overlooked before Dwayne's closed.
 
I've got 3 rolls of 35mm Tri-X and a roll of 120 HP5+ and it was starting to stress me out (and I send mine off for processing / scanning as I don't have space / time to do the job myself).

Respect to you for even attempting that lot. Are you going to scan them as well??
 
I think you need a Pakon F135+ if you don't have one yet, for the 35mm films. I scan a roll uncut in just under 3 minutes with outstanding results.

Not sure what you can do with the 120 though... that'll be a lot of work!
I have 2 rolls in sleeves and 4 rolls drying now all waiting to be scanned - and this already gives me the creeps.

Good luck!
Ben
 
Just a thought, you can process the C-41 & E-6 at home. Used to do both. Gave away my last chemicals as I only use digital for color. Actually I thought C-41 was as easy, if not easier to use as black & white.

For color I used Freestyle "Arista" chemicals.
 
Bill Clark said:
Just a thought, you can process the C-41 & E-6 at home. Used to do both. Gave away my last chemicals as I only use digital for color. Actually I thought C-41 was as easy, if not easier to use as black & white.

For color I used Freestyle "Arista" chemicals.
Click to expand...

Agree, except for temperature control being a little more critical. But I never had problems if a couple of degrees difference (or maybe wasn't critical enough to notice the difference). But I suspect after you get done with all that b/w, you won't want to do anything else for another 9 years. :bang:
 
Most of this film is from the last two years during which I've been very mobile, shall we say. I moved around quite a bit and all my developing hardware was in storage.

I have a Nikon LS4000 with the whole-roll attachment and an LS8000 for the 120. I can blast through a whole 35mm B&W roll doing a 4-pass scan per frame at 4000dpi in about 45 minutes. I can do it much quicker but I'm not a commercial lab and I want the best quality I can get.

AGFA and Fuji both made multi-format scanners that could handle everything up to 6x9. The problem is they are still current so the prices aren't too low. Not to mention they are attached to roller transport processing chassis and weigh over 800lbs. I have way too much experience with these.

Phil Forrest
 
I have 150+ rolls of various 35mm and 120 film shot over the past 6 years which I have yet to develop.

The long process begins soon, though I must admit I've put it off so long because of personal reasons. I know that the films contain photos of at least two people in my life that have since passed away, and I think I'm wary to face the images.

Photographs are incredibly powerful in that way; seemingly mundaine moments become much more important with time. I'm taking this thread as inspiration, though, as I know it needs to happen sooner or later.

Andy
 
You have made me feel much better Phil. I only have about 50 rolls to develop. I let things go a bit over the holidays which is always a big time for me. If things work as normal it take me about 2 weeks to get caught up again. If I could get my reels dried quicker I could probably get more through in a day but it really is not a big deal since I run out of drying space anyway.

Have fun. And it can be fun to look back at what you photographed. Or, perhaps more a sad walk down memory lane as Andy has pointed out.
 
Wow, gotta appreciate your patience or whatever that kept you from developing these earlier. I usually feel bad when I have 10-15 rolls to develop for more than a few weeks. I hate scanning though, can't stand it. Good luck.
 
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